What are the dimensions of a 40ft storage container?
| Measurement | Standard | High cube |
|---|---|---|
| External length | 40 ft | 40 ft |
| External width | 8 ft | 8 ft |
| External height | 8 ft 6 in | 9 ft 6 in |
| Internal length | 39 ft 5 in | 39 ft 5 in |
| Internal width | 7 ft 8 in | 7 ft 8 in |
| Internal height | 7 ft 10 in | 8 ft 10 in |
| Door opening height | 7 ft 5 in | 8 ft 5 in |
| Internal volume | About 2,390 cu ft | About 2,694 cu ft |
| Floor area | About 302 sq ft | About 302 sq ft |
ISO 668 fixes the external figures, which is why a 40 foot box from any yard on earth lands on the same footprint. The floor area is identical between the two versions, so the high cube buys you height and nothing else. Choose it when you are racking or stacking, not when you are laying things out flat.
For the smaller box see 20ft storage containers, and for the full picture storage container rental.
How much does a 40ft storage container weigh?
Around 8,340 pounds empty, which is roughly 3,500 pounds more than a 20 foot box. ISO 668 caps maximum gross weight at 30,480 kilograms, about 67,200 pounds, so the rated payload is close to 58,900 pounds once the box itself is deducted.
Two practical consequences on a Philadelphia site:
- The load still sits on four ISO 1161 corner castings, spread over 40 feet rather than 20, so each corner carries a similar patch load to the smaller box
- The delivery vehicle is longer and heavier, which rules out alleys, courtyards and anything with a tight turn at the end
We set on asphalt, concrete or compacted gravel and bring plates for anything softer. Long boxes are less forgiving of uneven ground than short ones, because a twist across 40 feet shows up in the doors first. Ground notes are on the placement guide.
What fits inside 2,390 cubic feet?
Roughly double a 20 foot box, with the useful difference being length rather than volume. Things that only work in a 40:
- Scaffold tube, steel and timber in full lengths up to 39 feet
- Around 20 to 22 standard pallets on the floor
- A full house of furniture with a walkway down the middle
- Racking down both sides with a working aisle between
- Site consumables for a 12 month university or hospital build, which is a real driver of demand in this city
If you mostly need floor space rather than length, two 20 foot boxes are often the better answer, and they are far easier to place. More on that below.
Why a 40ft box is hard to place in Philadelphia
Because the truck needs room the city does not have. A tilt bed delivering a 40 foot container needs close to 100 feet of straight, clear run to slide the box off, plus around 15 feet of overhead clearance while the bed is up, and the vehicle itself is long before you count the container.
On the rowhouse blocks through South Philadelphia, Fishtown, Kensington, Point Breeze and most of the river wards, that run simply does not exist. Where 40 foot boxes do work here:
- Cleared demolition sites and vacant lots with frontage
- Northeast Philadelphia, where lots are deeper and driveways are longer
- University and hospital construction compounds
- Industrial ground along the river
- Suburban sites out toward King of Prussia, Norristown and Doylestown
Send a photo of the drop point and the approach before booking. We would rather tell you no on the phone than send a truck that cannot deliver. Coverage and distances are on service areas.
We deliver in the Philadelphia region only. If the site is in another state, a yard near that site will always beat us on price, because the haul is most of the cost.
What does a 40ft container cost to rent?
Published market bands for this region, reviewed July 2026, run $100 to $250 a month for a container with $125 the typical figure, and $50 to $150 for delivery and collection. A 40 foot box sits toward the upper end of the rental band and above the delivery band, because it is a bigger truck and a longer job.
| Line | Typical range |
|---|---|
| Container rental, per month | $100 to $250, typically $125 |
| Delivery and collection | $50 to $150 |
| Repositioning on the same site | Quoted per move |
| Failed delivery, no access | Charged as a run |
Market ranges, not a quote. See storage container rental cost for what moves the number, and dumpster rental cost for the skip side of a job.
One 40 or two 20s?
| Question | 40 ft | Two 20 ft |
|---|---|---|
| Site access | Needs 100 ft of run | Needs 60 ft, twice |
| Long material | Takes 39 ft lengths | Nothing over 19 ft 4 in |
| Splitting stock by trade | One shared space | Two locked spaces |
| Placing on separate parts of a site | No | Yes |
| Getting one off site early | No | Yes |
On a phased Philadelphia job, two 20 foot boxes usually win, because one can leave when the trade that filled it finishes. On a single compound with room to work, the 40 is simpler and cheaper to service.
Questions about 40ft storage containers
Do you deliver high cube boxes?Yes, subject to availability. Check overhead clearance at the site, since the extra foot matters under wires.
Can it be craned in instead?On some sites, yes, and that is how boxes get into places a tilt bed cannot reach. It is a separate cost and it needs planning.
Does it need a permit?On private ground during construction, usually not. Anything in the cartway or on a sidewalk is a right of way question for the Department of Licenses and Inspections first. Note that portable sanitation in this city routes differently again, through the Department of Public Health, as set out on porta potty permit requirements.
What should not go in it?Fuel, solvents, anything alive and anything perishable. Waste goes in a skip, not a container. See what cannot go in a dumpster.
What else lands on the same compound?Usually construction site services, portable toilets, handwashing stations, temporary fence rental and a mobile office trailer.
Book a 40ft container
Is 40 ft storage container rental the same as a 40ft container?
Yes. 40 foot storage container rental, 40ft storage container rental, same steel box on the same truck.
Send the address, the term, and a photo showing the approach and the drop point. Request a quote or contact us. Also useful: light tower rental, temporary power poles, 40 yard dumpsters, porta potty rental in Philadelphia, the FAQ and the home page.
Next step
Get a delivery date
Tell us the address, the dates and the headcount. We size the order and confirm the route.